1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to methods, apparatus and systems for mounting a hollow-cylindrical member and, from another aspect thereof, to tape recording methods, apparatus and systems and tape transports. By way of example, the subject invention more specifically relates to apparatus for mounting tape reels for winding and storing magnetic recording tape and other web-like material, herein sometimes generically referred to simply as "tape."
2. Disclosure Statement
The disclosure statement is made pursuant to the duty of disclosure imposed by law and formulated in 37 CFR 1.56(a). No representation is hereby made that information thus disclosed in fact constitutes prior art, inasmuch as 37 CFR 1.56(a) relies on a materiality concept which depends on uncertain and inevitably subjective elements of substantial likelihood and reasonableness, and inasmuch as a growing attitude appears to require citation of material which might lead to a discovery of pertinent material though not necessarily being of itself pertinent. Also, the following comments contain conclusions and observations which have only been drawn or become apparent after conception of the subject invention or which contrast the subject invention or its merits against the background of developments subsequent in time or priority.
Modern instrumentation tape recorders and data processing machines deliver to their tape reels very high torque which is subject to many frequent reversals, as the tape advance is rapidly reversed in such recorders and machines. This subjects tape reels to tremendous, rapidly varying forces which tend to loosen the reel on its mounting hub. Such looseness, in turn, causes pounding of the reel and tape mass on the mounting hub, progressively damaging reel and hub and adversely affecting the tape transport and recording/playback process.
None of the proposals consulted in preparation of the subject disclosure appears to offer any solution to this pressing problem. In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 1,928,979, by R. Levison, issued Oct. 3, 1933, provides a spool and spool holder for threads in which spool retention blades are biased radially by rubber bands and extend through corresponding slots in the spool, so as to be contacted by the wound material. U.S. Pat. No. 2,529,185, by H. G. Proctor, issued Nov. 7, 1950, employs wedge surfaces for forcing barrel segments in a collapsible takeup spool outwardly, thereby interlocking the barrel segments and a cover plate of the collapsible spool. U.S. Pat. No. 2,647,701, by W. H. Cannard, issued Aug. 4, 1953, discloses an expansible core chuck in which annular members of elastic material are expanded into the hollow-cylindrical inner member of a spool or reel. A spate of other expansible core chuck proposals is apparent from U.S. Pat. No. 2,749,133, by J. C. Rich, issued June 5, 1956, U.S. Pat. No. 2,903,200, by A. E. McDougall et al, issued Sept. 8, 1959, U.S. Pat. No. 3,002,705, by W. D. Isbell, issued Oct. 3, 1961, U.S. Pat. No. 3,108,757, by A. T. Williams et al, issued Oct. 29, 1963, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,510,082, by E. A. Sexton et al, issued May 5, 1970, while U.S. Pat. No. 3,712,561, by J. E. Williams, issued Jan. 23, 1973, proposes the employment of frictional pads which are forced into radial engagement with the inside of a tape reel.
In practice, none of these proposals would adequately retain a reel or spool against high and rapidly reversing torque forces. The same applies to proposals which employ radially expanding fingers or segments for reel or roll retention purposes, as may be apparent from U.S. Pat. No. 2,904,278, by C. C. Riemenschneider, issued Sept. 15, 1959, U.S. Pat. No. 3,214,107, by E. D. Atkin, issued Oct. 26, 1965, U.S. Pat. No. 3,278,132, by M. Camras et al, issued Oct. 11, 1966, U.S. Pat. No. 3,463,519, by J. C. Raymond, issued Aug. 26, 1969, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,079,896, by E. F. Plach, issued Mar. 21, 1978. Reference may also be had to U.S. Pat. No. 3,239,159, by W. D. Cohen, issued Mar. 8, 1966, and disclosing a tape-collecting reel employing resilient members for supposedly easy removal of the reel from its driving connection and of the tape itself from the reel.
The seriousness of the problem to which the invention addresses itself may be seen from the fact that otherwise outstanding reel hub constructions do not as such offer a solution to the subject problem in the sense of the present disclosure. Reference may in this respect be had to U.S. Pat. No. 3,140,061, by W. M. Benson, issued July 7, 1964, and employing inclined wedges for releasably retaining a reel on a rotating hub, U.S. Pat. No. 3,233,841, by J. J. Neff, issued Feb. 8, 1966, and disclosing bidirectionally acting reel hub segments for engaging the inside of a reel core, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,183,475, by H. M. Martija, issued Jan. 15, 1980, and disclosing a chuck for retaining reels of various widths employing an expansible split retention ring which is driven up a ramp on an annular reel hub member.